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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series enduring for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? This longevity is partly due to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. While it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Vibe

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a recognizably silly groove. Its script serves as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting plotting.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing pleasing, authentically animated effects.

If its spitballing humor will resonate when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Notable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early students will likely be chuckling all over again.

Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.